Connector for connecting card type device

ABSTRACT

For connecting a card type device to a counterpart connector, a connector is provided with an elastic film contact held to an inner insulator having a cam portion. The film contact has a first connection end portion and a second connection end portion opposite to the first connection end portion. The first connection end portion is electrically connected to the card type device. The second connection end portion is kept in a free state. A plate-like member has a first member end portion superposed to and fixed to the second connection end portion. A second member end portion of the plate-like member spaces from the elastic film contact and faces the cam portion. The plate-like member operates as a lever to make the second connection end portion be brought into press contact with the counterpart connector in accordance with an operation for connection.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a connector for connecting a card typedevice, such as an IC card or a memory card, or a printed board.

In general, for connecting a flat type flexible cable (hereinafterreferred to as "FPC") having a plurality of conductive patterns on thesurface of an insulating tape to a counterpart connector disposed on aprinted board and having a plurality of contacts arranged in parallel,since the FPC is highly flexible, a fitting connection structure with areinforcer fixed to a connecting end of the FPC is used as disclosed in,for example, Japanese Second (Examined) Patent Publication (JP-B) No.57-11105 for "a flexible printed board connector device".

On the other hand, many kinds of connectors for connecting contacts of aboard to the contacts of the foregoing counterpart connector using theFPC have been developed. For example, about a mechanical drive type, anelectric connector device disclosed in Japanese First (Unexamined)Patent Publication (JP-A) No. 3-30273 or a modified high density backplane connector disclosed in Japanese First (Unexamined) PatentPublication (JP-A) No. 3-257775 may be cited and, about a type using ashape memory alloy, a connector with high density and high signalmaintainability disclosed in Japanese First (Unexamined) PatentPublication (JP-A) No. 4-501338 may be cited.

In the former case where the fitting connection structure with thereinforcer fixed to the connecting end of the FPC is used for connectingthe FPC to the counterpart connector on the printed board, since the FPCis made of a highly flexible material, the repetition of insertion andrelease may damage the FPC and, if the conductive patterns are damaged,contact failure may be induced. Accordingly, it is not applicable to acase where the high density contact is aimed using a number of theFPC's.

In the latter case, that is, with respect to the connectors forconnecting the contacts of the board to the contacts of the counterpartconnector on the printed board using the FPC, there are also variousproblems. For example, in the mechanical drive type connector disclosedin the foregoing Japanese First Patent Publication (JP-A) No. 3-30273 orNo. 3-257775, after the respective portions are fitted to each other, adrive member is moved to connect the contacts with each other.Accordingly, the connector body becomes large in size and complicate instructure so that it is difficult to accomplish the size reduction andthe high density. Furthermore, if the number of the contacts is large,an increased operation force is required so that the strength of thedrive member and the holding members should be enhanced. On the otherhand, in the connector disclosed in the foregoing Japanese First PatentPublication (JP-A) No. 4-501338, there is a merit that a mechanism foroperation from the exterior is not necessary so that a mechanicalstructure is reduced in size. However, since the expensive shape memoryalloy is used and thus dedicated heating portion and circuit arerequired for changing the state of the shape memory alloy, the connectorbecomes expensive with additional functions other than the essentialfunction as the connector. Further, if the change in temperature islarge, there is a possibility that operation failure occurs.

Even if the foregoing connectors are modified for card type electronicdevice connection, the two-step operation is required, other thaninsertion and release of the board relative to the counterpartconnector, for connecting the contacts with each other, and further,they are not applicable to the high density contact.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide aconnector which can eliminate one or more of the foregoing problems andis capable of stably connecting a card type electronic device, such asan IC card, to contacts of a counterpart connector at high density andwith low operation force.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a connectorwhich is capable of stably connecting multi-line contacts of a card typeelectronic device or the like to contacts of a counterpart connector athigh density and with low operation force.

Other objects of this invention will become clear as the descriptionproceeds.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided aconnector for connecting a card type device to a counterpart connector,comprising an inner insulator having a cam portion and an elastic filmcontact held to the inner insulator and having a first connection endportion and a second connection end portion opposite to the firstconnection end portion. The first connection end portion is forelectrically connecting the card type device. The second connection endportion is kept in a free state. The connector further comprises aplate-like member having a first member end portion and a second memberend portion opposite to the first member end portion. The first memberend portion is superposed to and fixed to the second connection endportion. The second member end portion spaces from the elastic filmcontact and faces the cam portion. The plate-like member operates as alever to bring said second connection end portion into press contactwith the counterpart connector when the first-mentioned connector isconnected to the counterpart connector.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provideda connector for connecting a card type electronic device to acounterpart connector, comprising an inner insulator provided with apair of film contacts each including an insulating film having a firstend side and a plurality of conductive patterns arranged on a surface ofthe insulating film, the film contacts fixed to the inner insulator suchthat backsides of the insulating films confront to each other andorientations of the first end sides of the insulating films coincidewith each other, the inner insulator further provided with a pair ofplate-like elastic members at the backsides near the first end sides ofthe insulating films, each of the plate-like elastic members having oneend fixed to the first end side of the corresponding insulating film andthe other end spacing from the backside of the corresponding insulatingfilm so as to be a free end, and an outer insulator having a receivingrecess for receiving therein the inner insulator, with the first endsides of the insulating films along with the fixed ends of theplate-like elastic members confronting the exterior of the outerinsulator, wherein the inner insulator is provided at its upper portionwith a receiving recess for receiving therein the card type electronicdevice and at its lower portion with a cam portion, the cam portionarranged between the film contacts and further between the free ends ofthe plate-like elastic members so as to push the free ends in oppositedirections for spacing apart from each other thereby to deform the filmcontacts in opposite directions to be spaced apart from each other, andwherein, when the card type electronic device is pushed into thereceiving recess of the inner insulator, end portions of the conductivepatterns of the film contacts at the first end sides are brought intocontact with corresponding contacts arranged in parallel on thecounterpart connector, while end portions of the conductive patterns ofthe film contacts at second end sides opposite to the first end sidesare brought into contact with corresponding patterns of the card typeelectronic device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a basic structure of aconnector according to a first preferred embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the state of the basic structure ofthe connector shown in FIG. 1 prior to connection to a counterpartconnector;

FIG. 3 is a front sectional view of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a front sectional view showing the state of the basicstructure of the connector shown in FIG. 1 being connected to thecounterpart connector;

FIG. 5 is a graph showing a relationship between film contact bucklingforce and film contact buckling displacement;

FIG. 6 is a front sectional view showing the state of a basic structureof a card type electronic device connecting connector prior toconnection to a counterpart connector; and

FIG. 7 is a front sectional view showing the state of the basicstructure of the connector shown in FIG. 6 being connected to thecounterpart connector.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, description will be made as regards aconnector according to a first preferred embodiment of the presentinvention. The connector is for connecting a card type device 9 such asan IC card to a counterpart connector 6. More particularly, theconnector has a structure for connecting a plurality of connectingportions, that is, connecting patterns or pads P', arranged on the cardtype device 9 relative to two-line contacts 6a of the counterpartconnector 6 provided on a printed board 7, using a pair of film contacts3a and 3b. Specifically, the connector comprises an inner insulator 1having the film contacts 3a and 3b fixed at both sides thereof, an outerinsulator 2 having a receiving recess M for receiving therein the innerinsulator 1, and a pin 8 for limiting displacement of the card typedevice 9 relative to the outer insulator 2.

The inner insulator 1 includes a top surface portion 10 and aperpendicular portion 11 extending perpendicularly downward from the topsurface portion 10. The perpendicular portion 11 is provided at itslower end with a cam portion 14 having symmetrical smooth curvedsurfaces at both sides thereof. The cam portion 14 includes at its lowerend a narrow or rest portion 14a having a smaller thickness and a smoothcurved surface portion 14b extending between a greater thickness orpushing portion 14c of the perpendicular portion 11 and the narrowportion 14a. Further, at the center of the top surface portion 10 asmeasured in a width direction thereof, the inner insulator 1 is providedwith a card receiving recess 15 extending downward along the center ofthe perpendicular portion 11.

Each of the film contacts 3a and 3b comprises an elastic film member ofan insulating material and belt-like conductive patterns P arranged on aprincipal surface of the elastic film member at regular intervals andeach extending vertically. Each of the film contacts 3a and 3b extendsin parallel to and spacing from the perpendicular portion 11 of theinner insulator 1 and is held to the top surface portion 10 of the innerinsulator 1.

Each of the film contacts 3a and 3b has an upper end portion and a lowerend portion. At the upper end portion, the belt-like conductive patternsP are arranged so as to be connectable with the connecting patterns P'of the card type device 9, respectively. The lower end portion is keptin a free state. The upper and the lower end portions of each of thefilm contacts 3a and 3b are referred to as a first and a secondconnection end portion, respectively.

To the lower end portion of each of the film contacts 3a and 3b issuperposed and fixed a lower end portion of corresponding one ofplate-like elastic members 4a and 4b whose upper ends or tips face orabut the narrow portion 14a of the cam portion 14 during non-connectionrelative to the counterpart connector 6. It is to be noted that theupper ends of the plate-like elastic members 4a and 4b spaces from thefilm contacts 3a and 3b. The lower end portion of each of the plate-likeelastic members 4a and 4b is referred to as a first member end portion.Each of the upper ends of the plate-like elastic members 4a and 4b isreferred to as a second member end portion.

In this embodiment, each of the plate-like elastic members 4a and 4b ismade of an insulating material. However, when the film contact is themicrostrip line with the film surface being the ground, it isadvantageous to form the plate-like elastic members 4a and 4b of metalin view of the mechanical characteristic. Materials may be selecteddepending on necessity.

As shown in FIG. 3 in addition to FIG. 2, during non-connection relativeto the counterpart connector 6, each of the film contacts 3a and 3b isretained by the inner insulator 1 so as to extend straight vertically.In this state, the fixed portions between the film contacts 3a and 3band the plate-like elastic members 4a and 4b can be inserted intoreceiving recesses 61 of the counterpart connector 6 unresistedly.Specifically, a width of each of the receiving recesses 61 of thecounterpart connector 6 is set greater than the sum of thicknesses ofthe film contacts 3a and 3b and the plate-like elastic member 4a and 4b.

When the card type device 9 is loaded into the card receiving recess 15of the inner insulator 1 which is received in the outer insulator 2, thefilm contacts 3a and 3b are connected with the connecting patterns P' ofthe card type device 9.

The card type device 9 is formed with a vertically elongate hole 91 atits lower and lateral end portion. On the other hand, the outerinsulator 2 is formed with pin insertion holes 21 at correspondingpositions thereof. After matching the elongate hole 91 and the pininsertion holes 21, the pin 8 is inserted therethrough to prevent thecard type device 9 from coming off relative to the outer insulator 2. Inthis state, the card type device 9 is vertically movable by a distancecorresponding to a difference between a vertical length of the elongatehole 91 and a diameter of the pin 8.

Now, the description will be made as regards the connection to thecounterpart connector 6.

From the state shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the card type device 9 is pusheddownward. Then, the lower ends of the film contacts 3a and 3b abut thebottoms of the receiving recesses 61 of the counterpart connector 6,respectively. When the card type device 9 is further pushed downward,the film contacts 3a and 3b start to be buckled. At this time, as thefree ends (upper ends) of the plate-like elastic members 4a and 4b areraised from the narrow portion 14a through the curved surface portion14b to the greater thickness portion 14c, the film contacts 3a and 3bare inclined in directions to be buckled outward, respectively, and, dueto the lever motion, the lower ends of the film contacts 3a and 3b movein inward narrowing directions, respectively. As a result, as shown inFIG. 4, the lower ends of the film contacts 3a and 3b are brought intopressure contact with the contacts 6a within the receiving recesses 61of the counterpart connector 6, respectively.

In the contact state of the film contacts 3a and 3b relative to thecontacts 6a of the counterpart connector 6 as shown in FIG. 4, when aforce is applied to the upper end of each of the plate-like elasticmembers 4a and 4b, the relation of contact forces at the fitted portionbecomes W=(S/L)P, W=(S/l)F (where the flexural rigidity of the filmcontacts 3a and 3b is ignored) due to the principle of lever.Accordingly, by setting S to be smaller relative to l and L, W can bereduced. When W is small, a pushing force for the card type device 9 canbe small and an operation force upon connection can be small.

As shown in FIG. 5, a force required for buckling the film contact 3a,3b is constant regardless of a displacement of the card type device 9and can be set smaller by reducing a thickness of each of the filmcontacts 3a and 3b. The force required for the buckling (hereinafterreferred to as A) is applied to the card type device 9 as a pushing-backforce while the connector engages with the counterpart connector 6. Onthe other hand, between the plate-like elastic member 4a, 4b and the camportion 14, a frictional resistance (hereinafter referred to as B) isgenerated due to the force W. If B>A, the card type device 9 is notforced back. On the other hand, if B<A, the card type device 9 requiresa force resisting A-B so that a fixing structure for the card typedevice 9 is necessary.

According to the connector, a required contact force can be achievedwith a small force by means of the lever type plate-like elastic member.Further, the fitting connection of the connector relative to thecounterpart connector can be carried out with an operation forceovercoming a small buckling resistance of the film contact.

Since the film contact is used, the high-density arrangement can beeasily achieved. Further, by arranging the backside of the film contactto be the ground surface, the microstrip line is achieved so that theconnector with a high-speed transmission characteristic can beaccomplished.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the description will be made as regards aconnector according to a second preferred embodiment of the presentinvention. Similar parts are designated by like reference numerals.

The connector of FIGS. 6 and 7 further comprises hooks 19 provided onthe inner insulator 1. The outer insulator 2 is provided withcorresponding engaging windows 29 for engaging with the hooks 19,respectively. Assuming that a resistance of the hook 19 relative to theouter insulator 2 in the engaging state is C, B+C>A is established inthis embodiment. A combination of the hooks 19 and the engaging windows29 will be referred to as a coupling arrangement for coupling the innerand the outer insulators 1 and 2 to each other to keep the particularrelative position. A combination of the coupling arrangement and theinner and the outer insulators 1 and 2 will be referred to as a keepingmeans for keeping the cam portion 14 and the upper end portions of theplate-like elastic members 4a and 4b to have a particular relativeposition where the plate-like elastic members 4a and 4b make the lowerend portions of the film contacts 3a and 3b be electrically connected tothe counterpart connector 6 with an elastic bending of each of the filmcontact 3a and 3b.

While the present invention has been described in terms of the preferredembodiments, the invention is not to be limited thereto, but can beembodied in various ways without departing from the principle of theinvention as defined in the appended claims. For example, the card typedevice may be a memory card or the like, a small printed board havingconnecting terminals on the surface of the board or the like.

What is claimed is:
 1. A connector for connecting a card type device toa counterpart connector, comprising:an inner insulator having a camportion; an elastic film contact held to said inner insulator and havinga first connection end portion and a second connection end portionopposite to said first connection end portion, said first connection endportion being for electrically connecting said card type device, saidsecond connection end portion being kept in a free state; and aplate-like member having a first member end portion and a second memberend portion opposite to said first member end portion, said first memberend portion being superposed to and fixed to said second connection endportion, said second member end portion spacing from said elastic filmcontact and facing said cam portion, said plate-like member operating asa lever to make said second connection end portion be brought into presscontact with said counterpart connector when the first-mentionedconnector is connected to said counterpart connector.
 2. A connector asclaimed in claim 1, further comprising an outer insulator having areceiving recess for receiving said cam portion therein, said innerinsulator having a receiving recess for receiving said card type devicetherein, said outer insulator having a pin insertion hole, said cardtype device having an elongated hole, said connector further comprisinga pin inserted into said pin insertion and said elongated holes.
 3. Aconnector as claimed in claim 1, further comprising keeping meansconnected to said inner insulator and associated with said counterpartconnector for keeping said cam portion and said second member endportion to have particular relative position where said plate-likemember makes said second connection end portion be electricallyconnected to said counterpart connector with an elastic bending of saidelastic film contact.
 4. A connector as claimed in claim 3, wherein saidkeeping means comprises:an outer insulator having a receiving recess forreceiving therein said cam portion, said outer insulator being engagedwith said counterpart connector when said connector is connected to saidcounterpart connector; and coupling means for coupling said inner andsaid outer insulators to each other to keep said particular relativeposition.
 5. A connector as claimed in claim 4, wherein one of saidinner and said outer insulators has a hook, another of said inner andsaid outer insulators having corresponding engaging window for engagingwith said hook to keep said particular relative position.
 6. A connectoras claimed in claim 1, wherein said film contact comprises:an insulatingfilm having a principal surface; and a plurality of conductive patternsarranged on said principal surface of the insulating film.
 7. Aconnector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plate-like member has anelasticity.
 8. A connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said camportion comprises:a rest portion for resting said second member endportion; and a pushing portion for pushing said second member endportion towards said elastic film contact in said particular relativeposition.
 9. A connector as claimed in claim 8, wherein said cam portionfurther comprises a curved surface between said rest portion and saidpushing portion.
 10. A connector for connecting a card type electronicdevice to a counterpart connector, comprising:an inner insulatorprovided with a pair of film contacts each including an insulating filmhaving a first end side and a plurality of conductive patterns arrangedon a surface of the insulating film, said film contacts fixed to theinner insulator such that backsides of the insulating films confront toeach other and orientations of said first end sides of the insulatingfilms coincide with each other, said inner insulator further providedwith a pair of plate-like elastic members at said backsides near saidfirst end sides of the insulating films, each of said plate-like elasticmembers having one end fixed to the first end side of the correspondinginsulating film and the other end spacing from the backside of thecorresponding insulating film so as to be a free end; and an outerinsulator having a receiving recess for receiving therein said innerinsulator, with said first end sides of the insulating films along withsaid fixed ends of the plate-like elastic members confronting theexterior of the outer insulator; wherein said inner insulator isprovided at its upper portion with a receiving recess for receivingtherein the card type electronic device and at its lower portion with acam portion, said cam portion arranged between said film contacts andfurther between said free ends of the plate-like elastic members so asto push said free ends in opposite directions for spacing apart fromeach other thereby to deform said film contacts in opposite directionsto be spaced apart from each other, and wherein, when the card typeelectronic device is pushed into said receiving recess of the innerinsulator, end portions of the conductive patterns of said film contactsat said first end sides are brought into contact with correspondingcontacts arranged in parallel on the counterpart connector, while endportions of the conductive patterns of said film contacts at second endsides opposite to said first end sides are brought into contact withcorresponding patterns of the card type electronic device.
 11. Aconnector as claimed in claim 10, wherein said inner and outerinsulators are provided with a hook mechanism for engagementtherebetween while said film contacts are in contact with thecounterpart connector.